Nancy Mae Annable Bailey

Nancy Mae Bailey, 84, died at Mercy Hospital, Des Moines, Saturday, June 28, 2014 after a brief illness. Nancy was born May 11, 1930 in Des Moines IA, the fifth daughter of Carlton and Lillian Cox Annable. The family later moved to Sioux City where Nancy attended Central High School. She graduated from North Des Moines in 1948.

Nancy taught 2nd grade at Stowe School in Des Moines after attending Grandview College and Iowa State Teachers College. She received her B.S. in Education from Drake University in 1956.

She was married to Dr. Lyle Robert Bailey in June of 1953 and together they had five children. They later divorced.

Nancy lived in Chandler, AZ from 1961 to 1993 and was postmaster at Williams Air Force Base from the early 80’s until 1993. She moved to Des Moines to serve as her mother’s care-giver until 2002 when she moved to Jacob’s Place.

Nancy was an expert knitter and an active member and past president of the Des Moines Knitting Guild. She enjoyed bird-watching and observing other wildlife from her apartment window and was an inveterate reader.

Nancy is survived by her children Marc Lee Bailey, James Robert Bailey (Mari), Jennifer Jo Bailey Hayes, Charles Franklin Bailey (Melanie), and Randall Dean Bailey (Kathy), all of whom live in the Phoenix area; six grandchildren; two sisters, Carlene Tagstrom, Sioux City and Gail Froyen (Len), Cedar Falls, IA; many nieces and nephews; and her devoted care-giver, Robbin McAllister.

She was preceded in death by her parents and three sisters, Shirley Kellogg, Lois Bengtson, and Virginia Chambers.

A memorial for Nancy will be held at the Living Word Bible Church, 3520 E. Brown Road, in Mesa, Arizona, on July 26, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. to coincide with the inurnment in her parents burial plot at Chapel Hill Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa, at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 26, 2014.

Hamilton's Funeral Services have assisted the family with arrangements.

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